I deeply believe
the pandemic saved me
reminded me
that life doesn’t have to be so complicated
that my schedule doesn’t have to be
so suffocated
I quite like
the lazy afternoons
the song of neighborhood birds
nine hours of sleep
honking cars unheard
After all
If I may be coy
Is this not what we work
Our whole lives to enjoy?
(I thought this would be a fun way to start 2022, by reflecting on some of my benefits from the great pandemic – anyway, happy 2022 everyone)
I had many toys
Dolls, stuffed animals, plastic babies
I wonder why
Little girls were given plastic babies
Instead of spaceship Legos
Or lightsabers?
This is a poem from my second collection (work in progress). This second collection is inspired by Rupi Kaur and Lang Leav. Check out my first collection at the shop.
I finally picked up Milk and Honey (Rupi Kaur) and also Lang Leav‘s poetry collections: Love Looks Good On You. Needless to say, it was the boost I needed to start working on my second poetry collection! There are so far 60 short proses and poems in the draft, and here is one of them.
“Have you started bleeding?”
“No…have you?”
“Of course! Last year!”
“Wow. How does it feel?”
“Oh, you know, just a bit bloody. Not too bad.”
Why hasn’t mine come yet?
Is something wrong with me?
Where could I have gotten more information
Other than the other girls’ conversations
Why was there no education
No open communication
On something so important
As our menstruation?
For more of my poetry, you can check out my first poetry collection: A Season of Poetry at the shop. Thank you for your support!
So much death
Every hour, every day
We hear news left and right
She’s passed on, he’s gone
Their family got the virus
Our family has tested positive
I don’t dare to pick up the phone
Lest it’s another gut wrenching update
I don’t want to check whatsapp groups
Lest it’s another acquaintance getting infected
Where can we turn?
Who can we go to?
Astra Zeneca, Pfizer, Moderna?
Billions are scrambling for all of those
How are we going to mourn
When this is all over
If this will be over
Who will be left?
How much more can we stand
Burning in this hot mess
Before we too stumble and break
How much longer?
Written July 2021
Illustrator brigit.ta has published a gorgeous artwork accompaniment to this poem.
“Better than sex.”
“The best experience in my life.”
“I love the beer after a deep dive!”
“Been diving since I was 13.”
“Its like flying.”
“Its freedom!”
“Its my therapy.”
“Its my meditation.”
“Its a different world down there.”
“Its so beautiful.”
“Help, I can’t equalize!”
“Aren’t you afraid of the water?”
“Of the sharks?”
“Of the deep?”
“Of the dark?”
“Will we see the sunfish?”
“Do you use nitrox, or oxygen?”
“I’m just an open water beginner!”
“This is my very first time.”
“I’m scared.”
“Of the water.”
“Of the deep.”
“Of the dark.”
“I’m scared.”
“Here, take my hand.”
“Breathe slowly.”
“Reach out, hold my hand.”
On Diving
20 August 2018
Lembongan, Bali
To read more of my poems, visit A Season of Poetry in the shop. Your support means a lot to me!
With my two hands
I can cook a meal to feed my body and my loved ones.
I can massage away pain and give a short relief for aching muscles.
I can garden! Oh the Joy!
Create resources which I get to harvest myself!
With my two hands
I can make music, the very language of the universe.
I can write, immortalize my story.
With my two hands
I can make a difference
I can change my life.
Written 11 March 2021. For more of my poems, you can visit A Season of Poetry at the shop.
Do you seek beauty
lovely as the full moon
fleeting as the morning bird?
Do you seek power
crushing as the thunder
commanding the hearts of men?
Do you seek wealth
shining glittery gems
born of the ground
chiseled by crafty hands?
Do you seek glory
the ardent praise of your fellows
a hall full of standing applause?
Do you seek solitude
the calm lake by the mountains
which reflects your face clearly?
Do you seek friendship
a relationship to test time
standing by in each other’s storms?
Do you seek immortality
a legacy sketched in history?
Oh wandering soul
do you know what it is you seek?
For my other poems, take a look at A Season of Poetry.
Here we all are
so lucky to be alive and alright
at the end of one long long year
where darkness was absolute
but kindness overcame fear.
Here we all are,
hoping for a kinder year
praying for those we hold dear.
And if tomorrow does not come
if next year proves harsher than this one
if those we love leave us
and everything we work for is lost?
Well, bear it we must
and bear it we shall
a day at a time
while we still can.
A poem for the new year.
You are beautiful
no matter that you gained some kilos,
or that you keep losing weight.
No matter that you are forty and still a virgin,
or that you slept with people who took advantage of you.
No matter that you focus on your career,
or that you are broke and in need of some help.
No matter what happened to you
or who happened to you
No matter where you are right now in your life.
You are Beautiful
